hansen



June 17, 1924. 1,497,684

G.A.HANSEN MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY CANdELING MAIL MATTERS Filed Aug. 15. I92] 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 v3 wt...- WJAM P 47%;, W W

June 17 1924. 1,497,684

' G. A. HANSEN MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY CANCELIIEG MAIL MATTERS Filed Aug. 15 1921 2 Sheets-$hee1 2 Patented June 17, 1924.

GUSTAV ADOLF'HANSEN, 0F CHRISTIANIA, NORWAY.

MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY CANCELING MAIL MATTERSJ Application filed August 15, 1921.

To all whom it may] concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAV ADoLF such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference be ng had to th'e accompanymg drawings, and to letters or figures of ref erence marked thereon, which forma part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for automatically marking or canceling letters and other mail matter, and,.

more particularly, to improvements in con veyor. rolls especially adapted to be used in connection with machines of this type, for

example, that disclosed in. my copen'ding'application, Serial No. 575,842.

Machines of this type comprise, in general, a receptacle for holding a stack of'letters or other mail matter, a system of feed rolls for delivering the letters from the stack one at a time, a stamping or canceling device, and

a receiving mechanism for disposing of the cancelled pieces of mail matter.

One object of the present invention is to provide improved feed rollers which may be easily and simply manufactured and assembled and which serve as a conveying means possessing material advantages over ordinary conveyors of this type.

This and other objects will be clear from the following detailed description which is to be taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 represents a plan view of a machine of the type disclosed in my copending ap-- lication, Serial No. 575,842, showing an application of the improved roller conveyors.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a feed roller showing the details of construction, and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of one of the discs of which the feed rolls are composed.

The feeding apparatus (see Fig. 1) comprises an open receptacle formed on the top of a machine table between two vertical guide Walls 100 and 110. A plurality of openings are formed in the wall 100 through which three rollers 101, 102 and 103 extend to such an extent that they come in contact with the letters in the receptacle. The roll Serial No. 92,609.

101 is preferably a loose running roller or idler; Rolls 102 and 103 are positively driven rollers. The roller 102, which is placed in the same horizontal plane as the roller 101, is driven by means of a cord passing over cord wheels on the ends of the shafts carrying therolls 102 and103, these rollers being. driven by the shaft 105. This shaft 105' is driven by a suitable gear wheel (not shown). The roller 103 is preferably placed in a lower horizontal plane than the rolls 101 and 102, the roll 103 being opposite to a separating finger 111 mounted on the back of the guide wall 11.0. This finger holds back the letters so thatthe letters pass out of the receptacle one at a time.

As will be noted in the drawing, there is a difference in the speedof rotation between the two rolls 102 and l03, the latter rotating somewhat faster thereby exerting a pulling or stretching action on the letterand providing an open space between the successive letters.

Feeding roll 83 is also positively driven by means of suitable gearing (not shown) and runs in contact with an idler 85. The roll 83 consists of superimposed discs between which are formed annular spaces, as will be more particularly described hereinafter.

The counter roller is mounted on a swinging frame 86, pivoted; at 87 and is pressed against the lug 891by means of a spring 88.

The letters passing from the receptacle are supplied to the stamping or canceling mechanism by means of the feed rolls in the manner described in my copending application, Serial No. 575,842. After the letters have been cancelled they pass to the receiving apparatus.

As shown in Fig. 1, the receiving apparatus comprises a vertical guide wall 120 commencing near the stamping apparatus and terminating near the end of the table, the guide wall having an oblique position relatively to the direction of the movement of the letters when passing the stamping apparatus whereby the letters when thrown against the guide wall are firmly pressed against the same.

Near the end of the guide wall 120 where it has a curved shape as shown in the drawing, a roller is mounted which comprises three discs 121 placed at a certain distance above each other on a shaft 122. The discs 121 are provided with rounded teeth which extend through slots in the curved portionhas mounted on it a plate 129, this plate being secured to the carriage by means of a suitable arm 130. The letters passing along the guide wall 120 are gathered between this plate 129 and the rollers 121 and the plate 129 is gradually forced away from the rollers 121 until the carriage has reached the end of its travel. The letters may be then removed and the carriage pushed back to its initial position.

Having described one application of the improved roll conveyors which form the subject matter of this application, I will now describe the construction of these rolls, reference being had to Figs. 2 and 3.

The feed roller illustrated in Fig. 2 com prises a shaft 140 on which. are mounted a plurality of feed roller sections, thesesections being spaced apart by s'uitablebushings and held in place by a nut 146. A shoulder or ofiset 141 is provided on the shaft 140, and a soft metal collar 142 may be provided on the top of this shoulder.

Each roller section comprises a pair of discs such as those shown at 143 and 144. These discs are made in the form shown in Fig. 3, the radial portion being made in the form of a cone. When the disc or discs are assembled as shown in Fig. 2, the radial portions are clamped together so that they lie parallel to each other and in contact with each other. A friction ring or band 147 is provided around the circumference of each roller section. The roller discs are preferably made in the form just described so that when they are assembled on the shaft and pressed together, the circumference increases so as to insure a tight fit of the band 147 to prevent slipping.

While the improved roll has been described in connection with a canceling n1achine of the type disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 575,842, it is to be understood that the improved roll may be used for any analogous purpose.

What I claim is: a

1. A roller comprising a plurality of disc shaped elements secured to one and the same shaft, having a central cylindrical core with an offset or shoulder, and a threaded end with a nut on the part of the shaft having the smallest diameter, said disc sha od elements being placed between the offset and the nut with interposed washers or bushings fitting closely to the shaft, and comprising a peripheral rubber ring, and two discs having a rim adapted to form a seat for the rubber ring and a radial portion of flexible material and a conical form, the discs being so placedthat when the nut is drawn tight the cones are flattened and the rubber ring thereby held firmly in its seat. 7

2. A roller section of the type described. comprising a tire or band, and two discs each having a rim and a cone shaped radial portion, said discs being adapted to be clamped together to increase the circumference of the rims whereby the tire may be held firmly in place.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention. I have signed my name in presence of a subscribing witness.

GUSTAV ADOLF H ANSEN Witness:

MAGNUS Boson. 

